Railway-mail-transfer apparatus



C. F. STEGMElEB RAILWAY MAIL TRANSFER APPARATUS APPLICATION HLED JUNE 8. 1920.

1 ,41 3 3297; Patented Apr. 18, 1922.

5 2 ye/won *&- (D Q) (If. S jgnolzhfl W ATTORNEYS WITNESSES C. F. STEGMEIER.

RAILWAY MAIL TRANSFER APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 8. 1920.

1,4 1 3,297. ate ted Apr. 18, 1922.

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Z? I j a C'- F. STEGMEIER.

RAILWAY MAIL TRANSFER APPARATUS.

' APPLICATION FILED JUNE 8, 1920- 1,41 3,297. Patented Apr. 18, 1922.

, 3 SETSSHEIET3- INVENTOI? v (:33 te eiegli A 7TOBNEY8 -uvpmmsyas 'CHABLEY EREDBICKaSTEGM'EIER, or WAUNAybREGQN.

mnwAY-m mmsrm ArrARATo'sf floz'a zll wlwmait may concern: 7

v Beqit. known. that; I; GHARLEYf FnLoRIcK.

STZEGMEIER; 2U citizen; of. Switzerland,; and .a resident of Waunagiina the" county of; Clat sopsand: State-of Oregon; have invented certain new: and: useful Improvements in:-Rail'- 'way-Mail'llransfenApparatus, of whichrthe following is'a'specification: i

This invention relates generally" t'oapparatus 'for. deliveringan'd receiving-mail'bags oi: the like to and from I railway; vehicles, and

' is: especially adapted;forhandling' the mail betweenqthe railway'vehicles'aandt the star tions 1' along 5 the railway; line.

The object of the invention: is to provide a. device of: this .v character which is: of lSZlIll'r ple: and durable construction and reliable; in

operation,cisenvinggto'ieasily and readily effect the; transfer: of the mail; bags 'to-'- and from: the railway: vehicle in; one operation and-which is especially adapted to be auto mati'cally operated so as: to require no; human control or manipulationwith respect to the variousphases ofthis operation.

Otherobjeots :andladvantages of the invention reside in certain novelfeatures of construction, combination and arrangement ofparts WlllOhiWlH behereinaftei morefully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being, had to the accompanying: drawings forming; part thereof; and inwhieh:

Figure l is a transverse sectional view of the apparatusin operativepositiom' Figure 2 is a similar'view' of: the device carried by the-oar showingthe parts in non extended and inoperative'position';

. Figure-3 is a sectional viewon; line- 33 of- Figure--1, looking in-the direction-of the arrows; I or 7 F igure is-a side elevational View of the vehicle showing the car immediately; prior to the engagement ofthe operating lever with the-depressor and immediately after the engagement of the operating-lever with the depressor; r

Figure-5 is a fragment-aryside elevational view-v .ofthe -ex-tendible carriage Specification of Iletters Patent. Patented Apr; 1922;

Application filed'll'une 8, i

1920. Serial No. 387,328.

Figure: 6 isa transverse sectional view v r 11 Figure is a detail perspctive' 'view of thereof;

tratingfthe; cooper'ativeaction 0'15 [the receiver and fsuppor t i offithel d of' the groundn..= 7 e I Referring toi: the drawings; wherein for the sake of illustrationlthere "is shownlaaprefer-reek embodiment of" the: invention it will be seen that the railway vehicle is indicated atAianddncludesa ca'riig :or. devi'ceindicatedfgenerallyat-i Bi'which is' adapt'ed to successively cooperate with' land rigs vor c053; l

theqmaili bagsior th 111 1 the ra lwayvehicle; 1

adjacentaside'r wall oif 'tlie :vehicleis provldedtwith a:suitable'bpenings-m andth'eranged-below the upper railill and in verti- 7 Cal itllIleII18I1t= therewith, and is a1so"sus-'.

pendedby hangers 12 as clea-rlyrshown in Figuresfi and '7; Eachofthevrails 11: and

13' comprises a channelmembenithe channel 7 member comprising theupper: rail 11: being. inverted; allel' to and intermediate--therail1 11' and 13 and: is; provided: with a T-slote15 extending throughout-its;entire length; I

An; extendible carriage indicatedgenerally at 16, is'iopera'tively mountedzupon' the track. The: carriagepre'ferably embodies a lazy tongs construction and consists of a series. of: angularly arranged levers} 17 pivote'd togetherin themiddlepasfshown at l8;

and 'at'r their-1 ends, .as:shoWn at l9'. The'end v levers are ofi'sueh lengthas .to terminate at car "to the opposite positionby operating: device G to eflect a transfer of r ii A thirdrail 14 isarranged par the middle pivot, as shown at 'QOE, stud 21, havinga T-head 22 .w-hich--oper-ates -in the T slotr of! thesthirdi rail 14 is carried 'by each. of the pivots 18 and is preferably formed integral with these pivots. The ac tion of the third rail or guide rail 14 is thus to constrain the carriage to rectilinear extension. A cross head 23 has spaced lugs 24 formed thereon which embrace and pivotally secure the outer end pivot 20 of the extensible carriage. The ends of the cross head 23 are extended laterally, as at 25, and operate in the channel of the members 11 and 13. The rear or inner end of the carriage is secured by the pivot 20 to a block 26 which is positively secured to the stationary structure of the car, as indicated in Figure 1.

A bracket 27 is secured to and carried by the cross head 23. This bracket includes an upper laterally extending arm 28 and a lower laterally extending arm 29, which carry, respectively, the receiver 30 and the support 31. The arms 28 and 29 are adapt-' ed to be projected through the opening 10 in the side wall of the vehicle in order to position the receiver and support in operative relation with respect to the receiver and support carried by the g'roundJ 1 r The device carried by the ground includes a suitable post having a laterally extending upper arm 32 and a laterally extending lower arm 33, the upper arm 32. carrying the support 34 and thelower arm 33 carrying the receier 35. Each of these arms is pro vided with an offset 36 to permit-free passage of the door 37 for the closure 10 of the car in the event it is desired to carry this door at the end of the lateral arm.

The upper arm 28 of the device carried by the car has a pair of receiver for'ks 38 arranged at its outer end. The receiver forks 38 are spaced from each other and are adapted to operate between the spaced forks 39 of the support 34. The lower arm 29 of the device carried by the car carries at its outer end a pair of spaced forks 40 constituting the supports 31 which are adapted to operate between a pair of spaced receiver forks 41. As clearly shown in Figures 3 and 7, the forks of both the receiver and the support consist of a pair of legs 42, the outer ends of which are flared outwardly, as shown at 43. These forks are carried on the outer ends of offsets 44 and are preferably slightly upwardly inclined. As clearly shown in Figures 3 and 8 the receiver forks 38 which are carried by the upper arm 28 of the bracket 27 have their open ends extending in the direction of motion of the car. The forks 39 of the support 34 of the ground rig have their open ends extending in the same direction. The forks 38 andthe forks 39 are arranged in substantially the same horizontal plane but the forks 39 are spaced such a distance apart that the forks 38 pass between them. The forks 40 of the support of the car rig have their open ends extending in a direction opposite to the direction of motion. In other words, these forks extend in a direction opposite to the direction in which the receiver forks 38 extend. The receiver forks 41 of the ground rig have their open end extending in the same direction as the forks 40. These receiver forks 41 and the forks 40 of the support are ar ranged to lie in substantially the same hori- Zontal' plane but the receiving forks 41 are arranged such a distance apart that the forks 40 pass between them. As indicated in Figures 1, 3 and 8 the mail bag or similar element D is provided with laterally extending trunnions 45 which are elongated and adapted to rest in the crotch of the forks of the car rig or of the land rig or of both.

Means are provided for automatically projecting the receiver. and support of the railway vehicle into position to enter into cooperative action with thereceiver andsupport of the ground. This means comprises a lever 46 fulcrumed at 47 to the inner face of the side wall of the car. 'The upper-end of the lever operates in. a slot 48 provided in. the car and the extremity of this upper end carries a roller 49. .A connecting element 50 such as a cable, rope or the like-ex tends over and between suitable guide .pulys 51 to the extendible carriage and is fastened to one of the-pivot's- 18 of-the'carriage, as indi catedat 52." Alstationaryide pressor 53 consistingof'aninverted channel iember is adapted to cooperate with the lever to depress or swing the same about" its fulcrum 47, the motion of .thelever being transmitted through the connecting element 50 to the extendible carriage to project the bracket. This depressor 53 is carried by a lateral extension 51 of a spaced post 54 which may also carry the landrig or device carried by the ground.

The extendible carriage is automatically retracted when the lever no longer engages the depressor and the means for this purpose comprises a weight 56 mounted for opera tive movement in the box 57 and normally retracting the extendible carriage by means of the connecting element 58, such as a cable or cord which has one end attached to the weight 56 and its opposite end attached to one of the middle pivots 18 of the carriage, as shown at 52. This connection at 52 is the common connection for the connecting element from the weight and the connecting element from the lever.

In practice, as the vehicle approaches the point at which it is desired to transfer the mail, the lever 49 which normally occupies a vertical position, as seen to the left in Figure 4, is engaged'by the depressor and swung to the position shown to the right in Figure 4. The motion of the lower end of the levertransmitted through the connecting element 51-serves to extend the carriage,

I port ofthecanwithinthe car. v e Theworking'parts maybe isolatedby the wall 59. It-Vis to be notedwtliatg these' 'work; ing parts being disposed! largelyrin' the up:

ma aise? thereby 'proje'ctingthereceiver andsuppert of the. car which isthen inpos'ition. tof'enter into cooperative. action, with the-,=I:eceiver and support ofithe ground; 1'ig;.I;he-;forks:of ythereceiven and. support of the-car passbegaged: by the "forks. 4:1: of; the support of the ground-rig This: cooperative action'of: the

forks which; results; in; the: transfer: Ofa'th mail bag iszillustrated in FigureEB :and in theiclia'gram in Figure:'8;. .Duringithe intervaljof this; cooperativeaactioni the leverzis maintained: in the position shown tO-nthe. '"right;inFigure-tbythe depressor and: it: is t not until the transfer is completed? that: the lever is. ifreedi fromithe action! of the v: depress son to permit the Weight: 56 toautoinatically returnthe carriage to normal position shown in, Figure-2', to'hring the receiverandzsup V per; part; of the car -v permit. of; the normal working space of they Car to be utilized for venous purposes.

5? .Having thus; described-.1 my invention, I

claim:

7 c apparatus, for transferringmail to and from, railwayvehicles comprising a device carriedupon the railway. car including an eggtendible carriage; a receiver and; sup.- port carried} by" theaextendiblemarriage; a device arrangednpon the ground; including a cooperating receiver and? support, means for projecting the receiver andv support of the device carried byythe railway car into position to enter into cooperative relation with the receiver and-support of the'olevice arranged upon the ground andincluding a stationary depressor, 'a lever actuatedby the depressorand means for transmitting the motion of the lever tot-the extendible carriage; and meanslfor retracting the eX tendible carriage immediately subsequent to the engagement of the; lever: withthe depressor.- i c v 2. ,An-apparatus for transferring mail to, and from railway vehicles comprising a; device-carried upon the railway car, including an extendible carriage, a receiver and support carried by the eXtenolible carriagey a device arranged upon the ground including a cooperating receiver and support,-means for projecting the receiver and supportcof the device carriedbythe railway cariinto position. to enter into cooperative relation: with the P66818181; and; support; of the device carriage.

the receiye'r and support arranged; uponv the; groundr' and includinga stationary depressor, and a lever actuated by the gdepressoigand me ns for transmitting the motion. of thedeverj. tothe extendihli-z 3. ,An I apparatus-for transferring mail to and from railway vehiclescomprising a; d evice carried;upon;,-the;railway car including a; receiveranol a supportnormally disposed within; the car; 'a- 'devicearranged upon the ground and including a coopenating receiver and ,support-,; and-means for; projecting the receiver, and support; of the dev-iceicarried by t e a lw y car into =p0sitionto;enteniinto cooperative yrelation with, the receiver and upp r the device arnangedyupon the ground and including a stationary: depres sor, a lever fulcruimed tozthe; ca;1:,-, andj means for' -ra sml tting the 10 iQ1l;-;ofrthe levento I v of tl'ijejdevice car-' ried by the railwayscar;

4. An apparatus; for transferring:

vices;,partak ing;, bodily of motion.- With; re-v of the first named,devicejwithgthereceiver Of; the secondinamed device, L one of: said (16f v1cejs=-1ncluchngan extendible oarr1age;:car.+ 1

means for extendingathe carriageitojtproject the rjeceiver' andsupport into-operativewpo: 7

sitijonl inCllLCling; lever carried by! i. the de' v1ce,;;an d adepressor plate associated with and-from railway vehiclescomprisingde-. A

rying .7 the receiver; and supportiithereof l q I t e other 'Qf said; devices,- and mea-ns.fon re tractin-g the-receiverzandsupportv i 5; Anapparatusfortransferring mail to and'from railway-vehicles comprising devices partaking' bodily ofmotion-with: respect to each other, each of which'includes a receiver and as support, thereceiver-of one device being adapted to cooperate with the support'off the other device and the support oft-he first-i1ameddevice with thereceiver of the second, nameddevice, one of saiddevices including an eXtendible carriage carrying the receiver and support thereofgmeans forextending the carriage to project the receiver and support intojoperativeposition including a. lever carried by. the device, and a depressor platec'associated wit-h the other of said devices. Y t I 6. An apparatus for? transferring mail to and from railway vehicles; comprising an extendible rcarriage consisting of a; series of angularly arranged levers pivoted to-v gether in the middle and-at theiriends, a receiver and support in non-operative position.

7 An apparatus for transferring mail to and from railway vehicles comprising an extendible carriage consisting of a series of angular-1y arranged levers pivoted together in the middle and at their ends, a receiver connected to the carriage, a support connected to the carriage, and means for extending the carriage to project the receiver and support into operative position.

8. An apparatus for transferring mail to and from railway vehicles comprising an extendible carriage consisting of a series of angularly arranged levers pivoted together in the middle and at their ends, and a receiver connected to the carriage, and a support connected to the carriage.

9. An apparatus for transferring mail to and from railway vehicles including an extendible carriage, a track for said carriage, a stationary block to which one end of the carriage is pivotally secured, a crosshead connected 'to the carriage and slidably mounted'inthe track, a bracket connected to the carriage andincluding anupper and a lower arm, a receiver carried by one of said arms, and a support carried by the other of said arms.

10. An apparatus for transferring mail to and from railway vehicles including an extendible carriage, a track forsaid carriage, astat-ionary block to which one end of the carriage is pivotally secured, a crosshead connected to the carriage and slidably mounted in the track, a bracket connected to the carriage and includingan upper and a lower arm, a receivercarried by one of said arms, a support carried by the other of said arms, and means for extending the carriage to project the receiver and support into operative position.

11. An apparatus for transferring mail to and from railway vehicles including an extendible carriage, a t "act; for said carriage, a stationary block to which one end of the carriage is pivotally secured, a crosshead connected to the carriage and slidably mounted in the track, a bracket connected to the carriage and including an upper and a lower arm, a receiver carried by one of said arms, a support carried by the other of said arms, means for extending the carriage to project the receiver and support into operative position, and means for normally retaining the carriage in retracted position to maintain the receiver and support in nonoperative position. I

12. An apparatus for transferring mail to and from railway vehicles including an extendible carriage, a track for said carriage consisting of an upper and lower channel member, a block rigidly connected to the track and to which one end of the carriage is pivotally secured, a crosshead connected to the carriage and operating in the channel members, a bracket connected to the carriage and including an upper and lower arm, a receiver carried by one of said arms, a support carried by the other of said arms, means for extending the carriage to project the receiver and support into operative position, and means for normally retaining the carriage in retracted position to maintain the receiver and support in non-operative position. 7

13. An apparatus for transferring mail to and from railway vehicles including an extendible carriage consisting of a series of angularly arranged levers pivoted together in the middle and at their ends, a track for said carriage consisting of an upper and lower channel member, a block rigidly seccured to the inner end, of said track to whichthe'inner end of the extendible car-' riage is 'pivotally connected, a crosshead pivotally connected to the outer end ofsaid carriage. and slidably mounted in thechanrnel members of the track, means forguiding the carriage in its operative movements including a guide rail having a T-slot and a stud projecting from the carriage and having a T-head slidably arranged in the T- slot of the guide rail, a bracket connected to thecarriage and including an upper and lower arm, areceiver carried by one of said arms and a support carried by the other of said arms. a

lflAn apparatus'for transferring mail to and from railway. vehicles including a carriage,:a track for said carriage consisting of an upper and lower channel member, a cross headconnected to the carriage and operating in the channel members, means for guiding the carriage in its operative movements, abracket connected to the carriage and including an upper and lower arm, a receiver carried by one of said arms and a support carried by the other of said arms.

15. An apparatus for transferring mail to and from railway vehicles comprising an extendible carriage consisting of a series of angularly arranged levers pivoted together in the middle and at their ends, means for guiding the carriage in its operative movements including a guideway having a T-slot therein and a stud projecting from the carriage having a T head slidably arranged in the T-slot in the guideway, a receiver connected to the carriage and a support connected to the carriage.

16. An apparatus for transferring mail to and from railway vehicles comprising a device carried by the vehicle including upper and lower arms, a receiver carried by the upper arm of the vehicle consisting of a fork having its open end extending in one direction, a support carried by the lower arm and consisting of a fork having its open end extending in the opposite direction from the fork of the receiver and a device carried bythe ground including an upper arm, a lower arm, a support carried by the upper armconsisting of a fork having its" open end extending in the same direction as the receiver of the car and a receiver carried by the lower arm. consistlng of a fork havlng lts open end extendlng ln'the" same direction asthesupp'ort of the device:

10 carried by the car. I I I 17. An apparatus for transferringfmail receiver fork.

hags to and from railway vehicles colnpris ing a receiver consisting/of a fork havingv lts open end extendlng 1110118 dlrectlon and and adapted to directly cooperate with said i CHIARLEYI FREpRicK STECMEIER, 

